DSP, cool display, loud enough for listening in a small room, S-video switching, plenty of digital ins and outs, remote easy to set up

runs hot

I love this receiver. For the price and quality it is awesome. I bought it mainly because I'm an avid audio enthusiast and I'm trying to buy one brand of equipment for all of my components (trying to limit remotes)... I haven't found one remote that can control my components as well as their original.

I'm using the receiver with:
-JBL Northridge series
-N-center
-4 N24's
-Klipsch powered 12" sub (excellent $330 sub, by the way)

The only problem I have had is that the receiver would keep shutting itself down because it was overheating. However, I actually looked in the troubleshooting guide and did what it said for once (restripped and reconnected my speaker cables) and the receiver has worked fine since then.

I would recommend this receiver to anyone who is a casual listener with some cash to burn or someone who is upgrading an older prologic system on a budget. It has excellent DTS/Dolby Digital decoding options and ample power for a small setup.

Similar Products Used:

Phillips Pro-Logic Receiver, Onkyo stereo receiver

No light on volume knob, remote, and unit gets very hot after really cranking it up for a while.

To begin with, this receiver is a good buy for the money even though Harman Kardon has a receiver(AVR 110) for the same price that utilizes high-current. If your equipment is average and you're not a home theater fanatic, then this receiver will be a good fit for you. I have not experienced any hissing from this unit, probably because i use an AC Line Conditioner. I don't know why Sony took the volume knob light away but they should bring it back. This remote, you need to be a rocket scientist in order to work it efficiently. As for the unit heating up, well I think Sony should have a fan on it. But ofcourse, that's only my opinion. For my system, I've come to the conclusion that I need a little bit more muscle so I'm moving up to a Sony STR V333ES to accomodate my needs. This unit really shows its fatigue when you turn the dial about half way and you keep it crunk for long periods of time. That's when it tells you that its a boy and not a man. After an hour or so, put your hand on it and see if it burns you. My system consists of:

Sony 35" Trinitron TV
Sony DVP-S530D DVD Player
Sony STR 845 Receiver
Sony CDP-CX 235 CD Changer
Sony N-71 VCR
Monster Power HTS 3500 AC Conditioner
Monster Cable for everything!!!!!

Speakers:

Fronts: Infinity IL40's
Rears: Infinity IL10's
Center: Infinity IL25c
Subwoofer: Velodyne CT-120

Similar Products Used:

Sony STR DE545, Sony STR DE835

Clarity, Power, Optical/Coax inputs

(by default) no volume indicator

Well, since there are so many reviews of this product, I won't get into the nitty gritty of the system. I will be frank and succinct in saying that this receiver IS for the audio enthusiast. It may not be for the audiophile, but we have to categorize the audiophile in a different price range as well.

Between Yamaha and Sony, I think the sony is for the dedicated listener. The yamaha is easier to use, but if you know your stuff, the SONY is great for tweaking. I have a feeling that a lot of the negative reviews that the SONY gets is just in part by operator negligence. Don't buy this receiver if you are:
Computer illiterate
Don't understand - Treble, Mid-range, or Bass
Deaf - You won't be able to enjoy the listening pleasure
Yes, the volume doesn't have an indicator, but how hard is it to notice when it is getting louder or softer?
The tuner is a little difficult to operate from the remote, but once you get everything programmed, you're all set to go. The home theater experience is great... THX is "COOL", but the overall home theater experience is unparalleled to the precambrian stereo era. I advise a nice DVD player, good stuff SONY!

SONY STR-DE845
Paradigm Monitor 5s
Paradigm Mini-Monitors (rears)
Paradigm CC-370s (Center)
Velodyne 10" forward firing with 12" downfiring (vented)

Similar Products Used:

None

This is a very honest review - please read on. This website helped me... I'm just returning the favor!!!

Owners manual could be written a bit better. If you are technically illiterate... find a friend that can help you... or a service/sales person that knows what they're talking about.

I work at one of the largest movie theatres in the country-The Star Southfield Theatre. I like to think that I know what good audio equipment sounds like. I had a Sony Str-av1020 for 12 years and it never gave me bad service... infact I refuse to sell it - I still like it that much. When I wanted to make the jump into the Dolby Digital age I looked at Sony - due to the fact that I had one for so long. I wanted to get the Str-de945, but Circuit City had the "845" on sale for $275.00 versus $499.00 for the 945. I just couldn't see spending $200.00 more for a (slow) 2-way remote, an on sreen display, and 10 extra watts.

I couldn't be happier with the "845". I chose it over Harmon Kardon, and Onkyo recievers in the same price range due to the versatility and features that the Sony had. The remote is pretty cool (no delays in the 1-way remote). I will give this piece of advice...if you are having a hard time getting the "macro" option to turn on a certain unit' in my case it was a cable box, put 2 macro steps on the same setting (ex.macro1-1=cable box on macro1-2=cablebox on). In my case the IR pulse that the remote put out was too short for the cable box to recieve.

The A.F.D. (auto format decode) is VERY cool. The blue light that comes on when ever 5.1 input is detected it pretty cool also. I can't believe how much better this reciever sound in pro-logic mode that my previous reciever. I thought that pro-logic would take a back seat to Dolby Digital... No WAY.

I'm still trying to figure out the "EQ" settings - but I'm sure I'll get it.

My other equiptment:
Toshiba 50" rear Projection 50A50
Comcast Digital converter box - by General Instrament
Sony VCR - SLV-620HF
Samsung DVD player DVD-611
Bose AM 7 (Front and center)
JVC (rears)

Note: don't pay extra for component video cables - go to radio shack and buy their best 12 foot A/V (yellow/white/red) cable - it looks just as great as the Monster Cables... and for only $18.00

Hope this helps!!!!!!!!!!!

Similar Products Used:

Harmon Kardon, Onkyo, Sony SDDS Theatre projection equipment

This is a very honest review - please read on. This website helped me... I'm just returning the favor!!!

Owners manual could be written a bit better. If you are technically illiterate... find a friend that can help you... or a service/sales person that knows what they're talking about.

I work at one of the largest movie theatres in the country-The Star Southfield Theatre. I like to think that I know what good audio equipment sounds like. I had a Sony Str-av1020 for 12 years and it never gave me bad service... infact I refuse to sell it - I still like it that much. When I wanted to make the jump into the Dolby Digital age I looked at Sony - due to the fact that I had one for so long. I wanted to get the Str-de945, but Circuit City had the "845" on sale for $275.00 versus $499.00 for the 945. I just couldn't see spending $200.00 more for a (slow) 2-way remote, an on sreen display, and 10 extra watts.

I couldn't be happier with the "845". I chose it over Harmon Kardon, and Onkyo recievers in the same price range due to the versatility and features that the Sony had. The remote is pretty cool (no delays in the 1-way remote). I will give this piece of advice...if you are having a hard time getting the "macro" option to turn on a certain unit' in my case it was a cable box, put 2 macro steps on the same setting (ex.macro1-1=cable box on macro1-2=cablebox on). In my case the IR pulse that the remote put out was too short for the cable box to recieve.

The A.F.D. (auto format decode) is VERY cool. The blue light that comes on when ever 5.1 input is detected it pretty cool also. I can't believe how much better this reciever sound in pro-logic mode that my previous reciever. I thought that pro-logic would take a back seat to Dolby Digital... No WAY.

I'm still trying to figure out the "EQ" settings - but I'm sure I'll get it.

My other equiptment:
Toshiba 50" rear Projection 50A50
Comcast Digital converter box - by General Instrament
Sony VCR - SLV-620HF
Samsung DVD player DVD-611
Bose AM 7 (Front and center)
JVC (rears)

Note: don't pay extra for component video cables - go to radio shack and buy their best 12 foot A/V (yellow/white/red) cable - it looks just as great as the Monster Cables... and for only $18.00

Hope this helps!!!!!!!!!!!

Similar Products Used:

Harmon Kardon, Onkyo, Sony SDDS Theatre projection equipment

nice design & love remote

No coaxial input for cable

I love the universal remote..easy to use. The receiver produces awesome sound for hometheater & stereo...alot of sound field options. If you got 5.1 speakers hooked up, I recommend you set your receiver to "Live House" for stereo. After I hooked up this receiver with the DVD Player, & BicAmerica speaker set, and played Matrix & The Mummy...WOW...sounded like I was in the theater. This system I put together is much more impressive than the overpriced Bose system.

One thing I am little disappointed with this receiver is that it doesn't have coaxial input for cable,so I have to connect the TV broadcast cable thru the VCR and out to the receiver using RCA connections.

Cables & speaker wire:
For DVD Player, recommend Digital Coaxial Cable,note Digital optical cable produces hissing sound.
16 Gauge Speaker wire

Complete Hometheater system setup for 18'x24' room (Total Paid approx.$1100)
Sony STR-DE845 Receiver: $289 from Videodirect.com
Sony DVP-C660 5 DVD Changer: $299 from Sears
Sony CDP-CX53 50+1 CD player: $99 from Videodirect.com
BIC Adatto DV52Si speakers: 2 sets at $19 EA from Ubid.com (125w per spkr,nice design & easy to hook up)
BIC DV62CLR center speaker: $119 from Ubid (175w,highly recommended, rated "BEST BUY")
BIC V1210R 200 Watt Powered Subwoofer: $119 from Ubid (recommend diff. brand, if auto on/off is selected you'll be hearing a clicking sound)
check bicamerica.com

Makes a good gift

Very boomy, gets hot and shuts off.

I ended up taking this unit back after having it turn it self off during the DTS intro at like level 3 while it was cool. After getting the Marantz SR 7000 I really became aware of just how bad the Sony was. Lack of a decent soundstage for both music and vidio. Very boomy sounding. Gets very hot playing just at 25% or power...the Marantz is never hot even with equipment on top. Goes into self protect mode often. To many silly DSP modes, its either surround or its not. Setup is not so simple and not so intuitive. The remote is ok but that flip panel is a bit on the flimsy side. I do admit it is a huge leap forward from the Sony model just below it, the DE 545 or something....man did that thing have a bad hiss problem. I would recomend this product to those just starting out and wanting to get something not to serious or expensive. But I would not recomend this to anyone with an for music or decent sound. Take Care.

My system so far:
Marantz SR 70000 reciever
Marantz DVD 7010 DVD Player
Paradigm Monitor 9 mains
Paradigm CC370 v2 center
Polk Audio rt25 surrounds till I can get the timbre matched Paradigms
run of the mill interconnects

Similar Products Used:

Marantz, JVC

Makes a good gift

Very boomy, gets hot and shuts off.

I ended up taking this unit back after having it turn it self off during the DTS intro at like level 3 while it was cool. After getting the Marantz SR 7000 I really became aware of just how bad the Sony was. Lack of a decent soundstage for both music and vidio. Very boomy sounding. Gets very hot playing just at 25% or power...the Marantz is never hot even with equipment on top. Goes into self protect mode often. To many silly DSP modes, its either surround or its not. Setup is not so simple and not so intuitive. The remote is ok but that flip panel is a bit on the flimsy side. I do admit it is a huge leap forward from the Sony model just below it, the DE 545 or something....man did that thing have a bad hiss problem. I would recomend this product to those just starting out and wanting to get something not to serious or expensive. But I would not recomend this to anyone with an for music or decent sound. Take Care.

My system so far:
Marantz SR 70000 reciever
Marantz DVD 7010 DVD Player
Paradigm Monitor 9 mains
Paradigm CC370 v2 center
Polk Audio rt25 surrounds till I can get the timbre matched Paradigms
run of the mill interconnects

Similar Products Used:

Marantz, JVC

Sound quality is great. Price is even better.

None!!!!!!!

Don't listen to the doubters. This receiver is the best in its class.

Similar Products Used:

Older Sony

Great sound, powerfull, REMOTE!

None as of yet

I recently purchased a dvd player and wanted to maximize my listening experience by getting a DD/DTS reciever. i was originaly looking at the DE545 but after reading reviews on audioreview.com it sounded like the DE845 was way better, no hisss.. etc. when it finally arrived (2weeks) :, i hooked it up and everything seemed to be working fine but one of the input buttons on the front panel (very chessy and cheap feeling buttons) was stuck and i was about to exchange it, but after awhile of pushin and pullin i finally go it to pop out luckly!, i didnt want to wait 2more weeks for another to arrive, anyways i poped in blair witch 2 dvd to test it out, the sound was great sounded like a theather, i tried the various sound fields(cinema modes) and they all pretty much sound the same to me. the remote was impossible for me to use without reading instructions but now its the best remote i ever used i love it, great feel with lcd screen very nice.. my friend recently got the 545 and i checked it out and it seems pretty much identical to the 845 besides the input buttons of the 545 are nicer and the display on the 845 is nicer. im not sure what the other differences are, dont seem to many other then it weighs almost twice as much. but since i got this for the same price as the 545 i figured i didnt waste any extra cash. all and all this reciever is really nice and im happy with it it does all i want and more. and its very cheap compare to any reciever that is noticably better. i definately recommond this reciever to anyone lookin for a cheap, high quality model. it looks awesome too. hope this helps...

Similar Products Used:

Sony Pro Logic, Kenwood, Yamaha